FOOD CALENDAR

Published 1:52 pm, Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Breakfast tacos are a quick way to get back into the school-day groove. (Jodie Fitz)

Breakfast tacos are a quick way to get back into the school-day groove. (Jodie Fitz)

FOOD CALENDAR

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Thursday

Nuts for Coconut!, Different Drummer's Kitchen, 1475 Western Ave., Albany. 6 p.m. $65. 459-7990 or http://www.differentdrummerskitchen.com. Byron Nilsson will start off with a classic Thai soup, tom kha gai, made with chicken and coconut milk. Next is a coconut shrimp dish with a spicy orange sauce. Then, he'll finish with the coconut cake from last winter's End of the World class.

Cinco de Mayo, California Style, Hands-on, Different Drummer's Kitchen, 1475 Western Ave., Albany. 11 a.m. $65. 459-7990 or http://www.differentdrummerskitchen.com. A hands-on fiesta to celebrate the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla. The focus will be on California-style, a bit lighter than Tex-Mex, with an emphasis on fresh seafood and vegetables. Make mini summer taco salad, chiles rellenos, Baja fish tacos and sweet fried plantains.

Capital District Community Garden's 26th Annual Spring Brunch,Hudson Valley Community College, 80 Vandenburgh Ave., Troy. 10 a.m. $25. 274-8685 or http://www.cdcg.org. Culinary fare prepared by 100 chefs and bakers. Bid on Mother's Day gifts in a silent auction, listen to live music and involve your children in activities provided by the Scotia-Glenville Children's Museum. Proceeds benefit CDCG's programs including 50 community gardens, the Veggie Mobile, The Produce Project, The Healthy Convenience Store Initiative, Squash Hunger. Children under 10 eat free.

Monday

Asian Knife Skills, Hands-on, Different Drummer's Kitchen, 1475 Western Ave., Albany. 6 p.m. $65. 459-7990 or http://www.differentdrummerskitchen.com. Chef Yasuo Saso will share some of his knife skills in this class. Having a sharp knife is crucial to being able to use it properly, so he will start by teaching you how to sharpen your knife using a wet stone. Then, he will teach you how to make an impressive fruit platter using several embellishments.

Tuesday

Chinese Cuisine for the American Home with Guest Chef Helen Chen, Different Drummer's Kitchen, 1475 Western Ave., Albany. 6 p.m. $69. 459-7990 or http://www.differentdrummerskitchen.com. Educator and author Chen is knowledgeable in the culinary practices and philosophy of China.

The Cookbook Series, Class Two, Different Drummer's Kitchen, 1475 Western Ave., Albany. 6 p.m. $69. 459-7990 or http://www.differentdrummerskitchen.com. Join Jim Rua for three programs where he will prepare signature Cafe Capriccio dishes found in his cookbooks.